Teenage boy hurt in brawl at Wattah Wattah festival
A group of teenagers allegedly attack a boy, 17, at the Wattah Wattah Festival in San Juan City on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (Screengrab from video by Tyler Clark/Facebook)
MANILA, Philippines — A 17-year-old boy was mauled in a brawl between two groups of teenagers during the Wattah Wattah Festival in San Juan City on Tuesday.
In a sketchy report, the San Juan City Police Station identified the victim as “JV,” a Mandaluyong City resident.
“Investigation disclosed that the group of teenagers was attending the Wattah Wattah Festival along Pinaglabanan Road in front of San Juan City Hall when they engaged in a mauling incident which resulted [in the] injury of ‘JV,’” the police said.
“Deployed personnel of this station and augmented personnel from the RMFB (Regional Mobile Force Battalion), upon seeing that the group of teenagers [was] engaged in a trouble and commotion in the area, they immediately responded and pacified the involved parties,” it added.
However, the police have yet to disclose why the groups were fighting.
However, police did detail that JV was accompanied by “Zell,” a 16-year-old San Juan resident.
The other group comprised “Vin,” 15; “Dekdek,” 16; “Maki,” 16; “AA,” 17; “Jayson,” 17; and “Sean,” 17. All six were Santa Mesa, Manila residents, the police report added.
Those involved were taken to the San Juan Medical Center for examination and eventually turned over to the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).
“Likewise, the parents/guardians of the involved minors already appeared at this police station to assist their respective children/relatives,” the San Juan police said.
READ: San Juan sets ‘basaan zone’ for Wattah! Wattah! Festival
‘Few troubles’
In an interview with reporters later on Tuesday, San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora claimed the festival proceeded with “only a few troubles.”
“Ano ang na-report dito sa ‘basaan’ zone? Kaunting mga kaguluhan. May mga minors na nagkaroon ng kaunting suntukan. Ngunit, ang ating kapulisan ay naawat agad yan,” he said.
(What was reported here in the dousing zone? Only a few troubles. There were some minors who had a small scuffle. But our police immediately stopped it.)
“Ang mga batang ito, tinurn over natin sa ating CSWDO. Karamihan sa kanila ay hindi taga-San Juan. Chineck namin. They are not from our city,” Zamora stressed.
(We turned the kids over to the CSWDO. Most of them are not from San Juan. We checked. They are not from our city.)
Leading up to the festival, Zamora announced a new city ordinance limiting the “basaan” (dousing) zone to only a segment of Pinaglabanan Road from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 24 in a bid to ensure peace and orderliness during the celebration./coa
